With respect to an energy storage apparatus which includes an outer case and energy storage devices housed in the outer case, there has been known a configuration where a gas discharged from a safety valve which the energy storage device includes is discharged to the outside of the outer case.
For example, an outer case which an energy storage apparatus described in JP-2015-056323 A has a communication portion which makes an internal space and an external space of the outer case communicate with each other and extends in an X-axis direction. The communication portion has a plurality of shield plates which are disposed such that the movement of a substance in the inside of a communication passage in the X axis direction is prevented and the communication between the internal space and the external space by the communication passage is maintained. Since the outer case includes the communication passage in this manner, it is possible to discharge a gas to the outside of the outer case from the inside of the outer case. Further, by disposing the plurality of shield plates in the communication passage, it is possible to prevent the intrusion of foreign substances scattered to the communication portion into the internal space of the outer case.
For example, with respect to an energy storage apparatus which is mounted on a machine, an apparatus or the like used outdoors, when a passage which makes the inside and the outside of an outer case communicate with each other is formed in the outer case, there is a case where water such as rainwater flows into the inside of the passage and flow-in water stagnates in a place in the inside of the outer case. In this case, there is a possibility that functions of constitutional elements which the energy storage apparatus includes are impaired by stagnating water, for example.